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US 12,763,541 B2Granted
Coefficient of thermal expansion matched mounting technique for high power laser
AssigneeBAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
InventorsDavid E. Thompson, Gerard J. Pelletier, Katherine J. Snell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The system and method for mounting a high power laser having a coefficient of thermal expansion that is thermally matched for the gain medium and the mount. In some cases, the gain medium is clamped by the mount along longitudinal edges and has a pair of free ends not in thermal contact with the mount. A thermal interface may be present along at least a portion of the longitudinal edges.
Claims20
A mount for a slab laser, comprising:
- a first half of the mount and a second half of the mount, wherein each half is securable to a heat sink via a plurality of heat sink fasteners;
- the first half of the mount and the second half of the mount being configured to accommodate a gain medium having a length and a first end and a second end, the gain medium being configured to be pumped from an upper face of the gain medium, the upper face facing away from the heat sink;
- and
- the first end of the gain medium and the second end of the gain medium are a pair of free ends and not in thermal contact with the first half or the second half of the mount so that the pair of free ends do not induce thermal lensing or create displacement issues;
- wherein thermal transfer occurs along a pair of edges of the gain medium that are coincident with the length of the gain medium, each half of the mount securing the gain medium via gain clamping fasteners and making thermal contact along the pair of edges to maintain the gain medium with a uniform temperature along its length.
2 more elements
A mount for a slab laser, comprising:
- a first half of the mount and a second half of the mount, wherein each half is securable to a heat sink via a plurality of heat sink fasteners;
- the first half of the mount and the second half of the mount being configured to accommodate a gain medium having a length and a first end and a second end, the gain medium being configured to be pumped from an upper face of the gain medium, the upper face facing away from the heat sink;
- and
- the first end of the gain medium and the second end of the gain medium are a pair of free ends and not in thermal contact with the first half or the second half of the mount so that the pair of free ends do not induce thermal lensing or create displacement issues;
- wherein thermal transfer occurs along a pair of edges of the gain medium that are coincident with the length of the gain medium, each half of the mount securing the gain medium via gain clamping fasteners and making thermal contact along the pair of edges to maintain the gain medium with a uniform temperature along its length;
- and
- wherein the gain medium is clamped along the pair of edges, a gap is present below the gain medium, and the upper face and lower face of the gain medium opposite the upper face are free of thermal contact with the first half and the second half of the mount.
4 more elements
A method of manufacturing a cooling mount for a laser, comprising:
- providing a mount, comprising:
- a first half of the mount and a second half of the mount, wherein each half is securable to a heat sink via a plurality of heat sink fasteners;
- the first half of the mount and the second half of the mount being configured to accommodate a gain medium having a length and a first end and a second end, the gain medium being configured to be pumped from an upper face of the gain medium, the upper face facing away from the heat sink;
- and
- the first end of the gain medium and the second end of the gain medium are a pair of free ends and not in thermal contact with the first half or the second half of the mount, the pair of free ends do not induce thermal lensing or create displacement issues;
- wherein thermal transfer occurs along a pair of edges of the gain medium that is coincident with the length of the gain medium;
- securing the gain medium between the first half and the second half of the mount via gain clamping fasteners;
- making thermal contact along the pair of edges of the gain medium with the first half and the second half of the mount to maintain the gain medium with a uniform temperature along its length;
- and
- minimizing thermal lensing when lasing at operating power by pre-pumping the gain medium at a power lower than operating power between operation to pre-heat the gain medium.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.